Whether you’re a veteran family law attorney or one who just passed the bar, you will have to deal with an angry client. Strike that. Many angry clients. That’s especially true in family law. The telltale signs are there: agitation, arms folded tight, and glaring looks. These physical signs are unmistakable. Your client is stressed and angry, and you will often be the recipient of their emotional fallout.

What do you do? These situations require skill and empathy. Frequently, people entering into the family court arena are angry before you meet. There are two basic aspects of this: (1) the client who is angry at an initial attorney/client meeting, and (2) the client who is angry in court. It is impossible for any attorney to completely allay someone’s fears—especially when they are going through a divorce—or worse—through a child custody battle. That said, client anger seems to come from two primary sources—bad relationship with previous counsel and anger at the system itself as being unfair.

At the Outset